Is It Too Late To Say 'I Love You?
by Strained Blue
Summary: EDITED: Sakura & Syaoran haven't told each other their feelings yet. But what if someone who was so envious of Sakura tries to destroy her life by killing the one Sakura loves most? One-shot fic of SS.


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Is It Too Late (To Say 'I Love You')

Written by: **CherryBlossomz13@aol.com**

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Thursday, June 6, 2002

  
  
***

DISCLAIMER  
  
I don't own any of the CCS (Card Captor Sakura) or CC (Cardcaptors) characters! The original, Japanese version of CCS is owned by CLAMP. The Japanese Anime version is owned by Kodansha. And the English (Maliciously) Dubbed Version: Cardcaptors is owned by Nelvana. They all have their own rights to the anime series. This is the first fanfic where I use their Japanese names! Being that CCS is my favorite anime, I decided to write a one-shot fanfic that fit my mood and was based on a small daydream that I had! Enjoy!  


  
The only character I own would be:

+ Suzuka Yoshimatta  


  
Take her and you will not be let off easily. *glares evil eyes* Ha! Now I own something! *laughs maniacally and is taken away by people in white suits* See CLAMP! I own something! I own something! I own SOMETHING! Hey! Why can't I move my arms? Huh? What? Hey! I'm not crazy! *coughing in the background* Who said that? Come out here and feel my wrath! Come here!  
  
-OUTSIDE THE LITTLE WHITE ROOM- Person in white suit jotting down notes: serious case of hearing voices. . . hmm. . . very dangerous.

***  


((DATE: November 25, 2002))

((SYAORAN'S POINT OF VIEW))  
  
Walking down the street with my hands in my pocket, I was thinking. It was autumn. The leaves were falling down in all colors: brown, orange, purple, red. The park seemed quieter than usual, but then again most of the birds had already flown south for the upcoming winter. That winter would probably be cold like it was the year before. But it could never be as cold and alone as my heart was right now.  
  
It all happened five years ago.  
  
((REGULAR POINT OF VIEW))

((DATE: November 2, 1997))  
  
It was a regular day at the high school. The 11th Grade students of Mr. Terada's class were outside playing volleyball. It was girls versus boys. And, of course, so far, the girls were winning 10-6.  
  
Sixteen-year-old Kinomoto Sakura stood staring up at the sky, daydreaming. A cloud drifted over the sky.  
  
As she stared up at the sky, the small cloud floating above her began to change its fluffy shape. Sakura gawked at the new shape. It was wolf. A young, handsome wolf. Looking at the wolf, an image came to mind of a certain sixteen-year-old. A young man with messy, chocolate-brown hair and intense amber eyes that she had come to fall in love with since about seven years ago.  
  
A voice yelling her name called her out of her thoughts. "Sakura!"  
  
Sakura looked up to find the volleyball shot straight into her face.  
  
Falling over, Sakura felt her face turning red from the impact. Little spots & stars filled her vision.  
  
"Sakura, are you okay?" a familiar voice asked. The person helped her sit up and gently shook her out of her trance.  
  
Blinking, Sakura met a pair of deep amber eyes. Sakura felt her cheeks redden even more. *I'm just lucky that my face is already too red for him to be able to see.* she thought.  
  
"Are you okay?" he repeated.  
  
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine," Sakura stuttered.  
  
"You sure you don't want to go to the nurse?" Syaoran asked.  
  
"No, I'm fine," Sakura smiled.  
  
"Come on, let's get back to the game." Syaoran held out his hand and Sakura took it with pleasure.  
  
~*~  
  
"It's not fair! There's more girls than boys!" Yamazaki yelled after the girls got another point. It was now game point for the girls.  
  
"That's your problem!" one girl laughed.  
  
"Mr. Terada! This isn't fair!" Yamazaki whined. The girls giggled at his helplessness. This time he couldn't get out of this with a lie!  
  
"Well, why don't you play four on four instead?" Mr. Terada suggested.  
  
"We'll be together, right?" Sakura whispered to Tomoyo.  
  
"Definitely! Who else?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
"What about Syaoran?" Sakura blushed. Tomoyo grinned. "We can also get Eriol..." It was now Sakura's turn to grin evilly! Tomoyo flushed a deep ruby color.  
  
"Fine!" Tomoyo smiled meekly.  
  
Sakura and Tomoyo walked up to Syaoran and Eriol. "You wanna play with us?"  
  
Syaoran just blushed bright red and Eriol smiled.  
  
"We were just about to ask you," Eriol laughed.  
  
"Come on, Syaoran, let's show them what we've got!" Sakura grinned. Syaoran smiled at her innocence.  
  
When the rest of the class was set, it was Sakura's team against another.  
  
Sakura set up to serve. "0 Serving 0." Sakura smashed a hard overhand and the other side barely got it back over.  
  
"Sakura!" Syaoran called. Sakura nodded. The ball came back over and Sakura came up to set it. Syaoran caught it once more and spiked the ball, landing their side a point.  
  
"Yes!" Sakura giggled. She slapped Syaoran's hand.  
  
The game went on until it was game point. This time they let Tomoyo and Eriol do a tricky combo.  
  
As they served, the other team got the ball and hit it over. Tomoyo set the ball and Eriol shot it over. The ball hit the ground and their team won.  
  
Sakura, Syaoran, Eriol, and Tomoyo did high-fives as Chiharu, Rika, Naoko, and Yamazaki came over.  
  
"You guys are unbeatable!" Chiharu complimented.  
  
"That's only because Syaoran's the greatest!" Sakura giggled. Syaoran blushed.  
  
The bell rang signaling the end of their gym class. The girls went to their locker room, as did the boys getting ready for their next Math class.  
  
~*~  
  
As the last bell rang indicating the end of the day, Friday, Sakura, Eriol, Tomoyo, and Syaoran all lingered back as the rest of the class left.  
  
"Bye, guys! See you next week!" Chiharu waved as she walked out with Yamazaki.  
  
"Bye Chiharu! Bye Yamazaki!" Sakura smiled. She turned to her best friends and giggled. "Come on, let's go before they lock the doors on us."  
  
"We wouldn't want that to happen, right, Syaoran?" Tomoyo winked. Syaoran shook his head as he turned a startling tone of red.  
  
They walked up to the front where Tomoyo's sleek limo waited.  
  
"Are you sure you guys don't want a ride home?" Tomoyo insisted.  
  
"No, I'm fine," Syaoran shook his head. "My apartment's close by."  
  
Eriol bowed politely. "No thank you. I wouldn't want to burden a lovely goddess like you." Tomoyo blushed, visibly.  
  
The two boys went their ways.  
  
Sakura stared off longingly at Syaoran. Tomoyo put a hand on her shoulder. "When are you going to tell him?"  
  
Sakura sighed. "I don't know. Maybe I never will."  
  
"Sakura! You have to!" Tomoyo pleaded. "You might regret never telling him sooner or not telling him at all! And if you don't I will!"  
  
Sakura looked at Tomoyo with her sad, emerald eyes. "Please Tomoyo." She gripped Tomoyo's arm firmly. "Please don't say a word to Syaoran. Please don't." Tomoyo nodded and Sakura looked away as she let go. "I'm just afraid he won't like me and I'll be rejected. I'm afraid that it'll change our relationship forever. I don't want to lose his friendship just because of one simple mistake!"  
  
Tomoyo groaned. "Sakura! What if he doesn't hate you? You'll never know until you tell him! Please, Sakura, promise me that you will tell him before school is out this year! Please, you'll have until the end of this month to! Please!" Tomoyo got down on her knees and made puppy-dog eyes at her.  
  
Sakura bit her lip and tried to look away, but Tomoyo's amethyst eyes were irresistible. "I guess."  
  
"Yes! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Tomoyo cheered. People looked at her strangely and Tomoyo blushed as she quieted. Tomoyo muttered to herself happily. "I'll be definitely getting this on tape!"  
  
"What'd you say, Tomoyo?" Sakura blinked.  
  
"NOTHING!" Tomoyo grinned, patting Sakura on the back really hard.  
  
"Okay.." Sakura looked at her very strange friend in question. She hugged Tomoyo, "Bye, Tomoyo, I'm going to go now."  
  
"Are you positively, absolutely sure you don't want a ride home?" Tomoyo asked once again.  
  
"I'm positively, absolutely sure, anyways, I have to go to work, remember? I have that new job with Maggie at her shop," Sakura smiled. "I'm going to walk home so I can think about maybe, just maybe, telling him before I go to work." Seeing Tomoyo becoming worked up, she quickly said, "Don't get all excited because I'm not sure." She hugged Tomoyo once more. "Bye, Tomoyo!"  
  
"Bye, Sakura!" Tomoyo waved. Sakura trotted off a distance then slowed down.  
  
As Tomoyo stepped into her limo, she murmured, "Oh, Sakura. But you never know when it'll be too late. . . then you'll regret it for sure."  
  
The limo cruised away in the opposite direction as Sakura continued to trudge on.  
  
~*~  
  
"Soon, you're mine, and your whole life too!" a female voice laughed.  
  
~*~  
  
Sakura was walking down the street thinking of Syaoran as usual. *Someday. this is going to get me in trouble.* she thought with a small smile.  
  
A few blocks later, Sakura neared Maggie's shop. Maggie was famous for her stuffed animal and different collections! (A/N: If you don't know who Maggie is, she's the one who owns the shop where Meiling gets the Shot Card and Chiharu, Rika, and Naoko have all those other fake 'Cards'. I don't know her Japanese translation, sorry! ^_^)  
  
Suddenly, Sakura felt a weird feeling creep up her spine. She spun around just as someone hit her over the head with a lead pipe.  
  
Sakura was slipping into unconsciousness. But before the blackness swallowed her up, she cried in her mind, "Syaoran help me."  
  
~*~  
  
"Huh?" Syaoran looked up. "I thought I heard something, or, er, felt something." Waiting for it to come again, he shook his head. "I'll call Sakura."  
  
He picked up his cell phone that Sakura had given him back in the 5th Grade. He pressed speed dial and sighed as it began ringing. It rang once, twice, three times. The mailbox picked up.  
  
"Hi, this is Sakura. I'm not available at the moment, so I'll call you back- Kero! No more food! - Sorry, well, I'll call you back later! Leave a message at the beep!" BEEP.  
  
Syaoran sighed. "Sakura, this is Syaoran. I just felt something really weird; call me back as soon as you can. Bye."  
  
Thinking again, he decided to call Tomoyo, not risking a call with the 'stuffed animal'. "Tomoyo? This is Syaoran. Do you know where Sakura is?"  
  
"She went to take a walk earlier before she goes to work. You can get her at Maggie's around 5:30. Did you call her cell?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
"Yeah, she's not picking up," Syaoran told her.  
  
"She probably turned it off," Tomoyo said. "Syaoran, did you tell Sakura, YET?"  
  
"Tell her what?" Syaoran was blushing.  
  
"Syaoran, you know what I'm talking about!" Tomoyo yelled.  
  
Syaoran answered timidly, "No. I don't want to be rejected. What if she doesn't like me? It might ruin our relationship or make her feel bad! I don't want her to be like that. If she's happy, I'm happy."  
  
Tomoyo sighed. "I have to go now, but, Syaoran, listen to me very closely. You'll never know until you tell her. Please! Tell her soon before you regret it!"  
  
"Bye." Syaoran clicked off his cell phone and returned to his homework.  
  
~*~  
  
Sakura woke up to a pounding headache.  
  
"Argh. . . my head," she groaned. She was trying to soothe her head with her hands, but she found herself tied up to a chair and her eyes were covered with duck tape. "Where am I?"  
  
"I don't think I can answer that question for you." a voice answered.  
  
"Who are you?" Sakura called.  
  
"Who am I?" the voice asked. "You know me pretty well."  
  
The voice did sound familiar. Very familiar. Someone she worked with. The name was right there at the back of her mind, but the headache prevented her from searching any further.  
  
"You know me. I work with you at Maggie's. We're good friends, but not as good friends as Tomoyo and you. I've been watching you very closely now. Waiting to make my move. I've followed everything that you do so that I can jump into your life without anybody noticing!" the familiar voice explained.  
  
"I envy everything you love and have, Sakura. You have friends, you're popular, and you have a cute boyfriend-"  
  
"I don't have a boyfriend!" Sakura interjected.  
  
"Well, Syaoran hangs around you a lot, I consider that a boyfriend!" the voice snapped. Sakura blushed. "Where was I? Your family loves you, you're pretty, and you are the most powerful sorceress in the world!" Sakura gasped. "Yes, I know that you have magic! And lucky for me, the only magic that you have comes from a Key, which I have in my hands right now." Sakura felt the missing presence of her Star Key under her shirt. "I want all that you have and I can get it now if I like! I can even imitate your voice perfectly! Hoe?"  
  
"Wait a minute! I know who you are!" Sakura exclaimed.  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
"You are so cute Sakura! And so lucky!" Sakura's co-worker grinned.  
  
"Hoe?" Sakura blinked.  
  
"I just love it when you do that! Look I can copy you, too!" her friend, Suzuka Yoshimatta, smiled. Suzuka had jet-black hair and green eyes. "Hoe?"  
  
Sakura giggled. "You're so good, Suzuka!"  
  
Suzuka blushed. "I wish I were you, Sakura!"  
  
END OF FLASHBACK  
  
"Suzuka!" Sakura gasped. "My friends will find me!"  
  
"Not if they don't know that you're gone in the first place! Maggie won't know because I supposedly moved back to Hokkaido. Everyone thinks that. and you can't stop me because you don't have your little Key," Suzuka smirked. She peeled the tape off of Sakura's eyes. Sakura was still in darkness, but she could see Suzuka from the pale light bulb above them. Suzuka was dressed in Sakura's clothes. Sakura was stripped down to the slip she wore under her uniform. Suzuka wore a wig styled in Sakura's hairdo and Suzuka was just lucky that they both had green eyes.  
  
"My friends will know the difference!" Sakura growled.  
  
"No they won't! My plan is foolproof, dear Sakura," Suzuka snapped. Then mimicking Sakura's voice, she laughed, "Oh no! I'm late for work, again!" She changed back to her own voice. "Lucky for me that you have a reputation for being late everywhere! Bye my friend!" Suzuka turned off the light and headed up the stairs to an open door.  
  
*At least I know I'm in a basement, somewhere* she thought. The door closed as the darkness overwhelmed her once more.  
  
~*~  
  
"Hi Maggie!" a voice called from the door.  
  
"Sakura? Is that you?" Maggie asked, peeking from behind a cabinet.  
  
"Yeah, sorry I'm late, I was talking a walk and I was so far away from your store!" Sakura explained. Something seemed definitely peculiar about the way she looked. Her skin seemed a little darker, but then again maybe that came from running down here.  
  
"Oh, yeah, you have a call. Somebody's been calling you for a while now. His name's Syaoran, he said for you to call him on his cell," Maggie remembered.  
  
"Okay, thanks Maggie," Sakura smiled. Sakura pulled out her cell phone. *Cell phone? I don't have Syaoran's cell phone number!* Suzuka (A/N: I'm going to use Suzuka instead of Sakura now, but everyone doesn't know that, okay? It's just too confusing! @_@) scanned the address book and found Syaoran's cell phone on speed dial #1. She sighed and pushed the button allowing the numbers to dial. Suzuka cleared her throat as the phone rang. On the first ring, someone picked up.  
  
"Hello?" the deep voice asked. Suzuka melted at the sound of his voice.  
  
"Hi, Syaoran! Maggie said you called earlier!" Suzuka chirped.  
  
"Is this Sakura?" Syaoran asked.  
  
"Yeah, of course, who else would it be?" Suzuka laughed nervously.  
  
"Sorry, it's just that you sound a little different," Syaoran apologized.  
  
"Well, what'd you call me about?" Suzuka asked.  
  
"Well, earlier, I felt something, did you?" Syaoran asked.  
  
"No, nothing at all," Suzuka said anxiously. "Are you sure you felt something?"  
  
"I'm positive, like it was a plea for help or something," Syaoran described.  
  
"Hmm. . . did you feel it again later?" Suzuka asked.  
  
"No, only once," Syaoran answered.  
  
"Well, if you feel it again, or if I feel it, we'll call each other, right?" Suzuka smiled.  
  
"Yeah, well, bye," Syaoran said.  
  
"Bye." Suzuka clicked her cell off and began her work.  
  
~*~  
  
At the end of three weeks, Sakura was as weak as a newborn kitten! (A/N: Sorry for speeding up and all, but I don't want it to be very long! Gomen nasai!) Suzuka had left her there to die! Sakura thought that she would let her go sooner or later, but it must definitely be a later, since Suzuka only came down to ask questions, which Sakura would never answer. Suzuka hadn't fed her, only giving her water to feast upon. Sakura's magic was slowly pining away, because, for one, she couldn't even send mind messages to ANY of her friends!  
  
"Hello, Sakura, I came down to see how you're doing," Suzuka grinned.  
  
"You are NOT going to get away with this, Suzuka," Sakura snapped. Suzuka looked at her with an annoyed look.  
  
"I have a small question," Suzuka requested.  
  
"I'm not going to answer it," Sakura sighed.  
  
"I don't need you to, I just want to see how you react if I told Syaoran that you liked him. You know, Syaoran doesn't even notice the difference. Neither do any of your friends," Suzuka lied.  
  
Sakura held back her tears. Was this how it was going to end for her? Was she going to die here, forgotten and lonely? Then remembering what Suzuka first wanted to know, Sakura's cheeks turned bright pink. "I don't like Syaoran!"  
  
"Oh, you don't? Why are you bright pink, then?" Suzuka smirked.  
  
Sakura shook her head. "I only like Syaoran as a friend! Nothing more!" It hurt her to say those words; she shut her eyes to hold back tears.  
  
"Oh, you do, do you? Okay, then I'll tell him that!" Suzuka sneered. "I'll tell him that Kinomoto Sakura hates Li Syaoran!"  
  
"What?!" Sakura yelled. Her eyes snapped open.  
  
"Well, I've gotta go to school!" Suzuka winked. Sakura struggled against her bonds, helplessly.  
  
"Suzuka! Come back here!" Sakura screamed. "Come back here!" Her voice echoed throughout the basement.  
  
~*~  
  
Suzuka reached school earlier than Sakura's usual time.  
  
"Hi, Tomoyo!" Suzuka chirped.  
  
"Hi, Sakura." Tomoyo sighed. *Sakura certainly seems really distant and unusual the past few weeks!*  
  
"Is something wrong?" Suzuka's green eyes glittered sensitively.  
  
"No, everything's fine." Tomoyo replied.  
  
"Hi Sakura!" three girls piped. "Hi Tomoyo!"  
  
"Did you know that-" Yamazaki started.  
  
"Yamazaki." Chiharu groaned. Yamazaki smiled and backed off a little.  
  
Syaoran came in the door looking a little flustered as Eriol walked in behind him. He was 16 years old and felt like a little child being bullied.  
  
"You're going to tell her today!" Eriol made him promise.  
  
"Okay, fine, I will," Syaoran sighed. He walked up to Sakura timidly. "S-Sakura?"  
  
Suzuka looked up innocently at him. "Yes?"  
  
Syaoran turned crimson as he twiddled with his fingers. "I h-have to s-say that."  
  
"If you're going to say that you like me, then I'm going to say this once. I. Hate. You. I never liked you, never will!" Suzuka leered.  
  
Syaoran staggered a step backwards. Eriol and Tomoyo were paler than usual. Chiharu, Rika, Naoko, and Yamazaki stared at Sakura in astonishment.  
  
The bell saved Syaoran from having to say anything. He took his seat quietly. When Mr. Terada came in, he raised his hand. "Mr. Terada, may I go to the restroom?"  
  
"You could've gone before class." Mr. Terada raised an eyebrow. Then seeing Li's pale face and tears beginning to fall, he nodded, "Yes, you may. Don't take too long." Other students stared at the supposedly, cold- hearted Syaoran Li as he passed by their desks.  
  
*Oh, Sakura, what did you do?* Tomoyo thought.  
  
~*~  
  
At lunch, Suzuka and Tomoyo were eating quietly.  
  
"Why did you say that to Syaoran earlier? That was so mean, Sakura!" Tomoyo broke the silence.  
  
"Say what?" Suzuka blinked.  
  
"What do you mean what?" Tomoyo cried.  
  
"Oh, yeah, that," Suzuka nodded as bit a piece of her sandwich. "I guess I just don't like him anymore."  
  
"You GUESS?!" Tomoyo screamed. The other 11th graders looked at her strangely. She quieted her voice, but it still sounded angry. "What do you mean you don't like him anymore? I thought you were in love with him?!"  
  
"Childish love," Suzuka shrugged.  
  
Tomoyo shook her shoulders really hard. "Childish?! Syaoran is the most important thing in your life! He's the one that makes you live and breathe! He's everything you wanted! And you're giving it up?!" Suzuka took quick note of that information and nodded.  
  
"Yup."  
  
Tomoyo stared at her best friend for a moment and sat down. "If that's what you feel Sakura, I'm happy for you." but murmured, "But you don't know what you're missing out on."  
  
~*~  
  
Suzuka skipped into the basement with a great big smile pasted onto her face.  
  
"Syaoran is devastated!" Suzuka giggled.  
  
"He's what?!" Sakura cried.  
  
"Syaoran came up to me before class and was about to tell me that he liked me ,you, and then I interrupted him and told him that I hated him and never ever would like him! He believed it!" Suzuka laughed.  
  
If Sakura wasn't so weak, or if she weren't tied she would have slapped Suzuka really hard across the face, then strangled her.  
  
"Well, I thought you would just like to know!" Suzuka grinned. Sakura glowered at her as Suzuka climbed the stairs and disappeared.  
  
~*~  
  
((BACK IN THE FUTURE))

(A/N: sorry for the confusing timeline, plz try to keep up! And if you didn't catch it, when he's telling the story, Syaoran is 21 years old)

((DATE: November 25, 2002))

((SYAORAN'S POV))  
  
The next day, I remember trying to avoid Sakura as much as possible. But Sakura seemed to want to rub it in as much as possible. Which was totally opposite of the Sakura I fell in love with!  
  
The day after that was even more unbearable, for everyone but Sakura, that is. Sakura seemed to want to brag all day about making me feel bad! I became more distant than usual. But my two other best friends, Tomoyo and Eriol, stood by my side loyally.  
  
On the third day from the incident, I was still thinking about what Sakura had said. What made her say that? What made her change her entire attitude? What?  
  
All the reasons I had made up made no sense, and then it finally hit me! Maybe she DID hate me. Maybe she didn't want to see me ever again. Maybe she was just speaking the truth.  
  
It was so hard to believe at first. then I began to absorb the idea and believe that it was true. I really did feel like killing myself, but I still had other friends, like Tomoyo, Eriol, Yamazaki, Chiharu, Naoko, and Rika. I couldn't let them down. But only one solution came to mind. I would go back home today after school. I'll say my good-byes to my friends. and Sakura. I'll tell her that it was okay that she doesn't like me and that we could still be friends, if she wanted. . . if. . .  
  
~*~  
  
((BACK TO THE PAST))

((DATE: November 25, 1997))

((REGULAR POV))  
  
"Tomoyo told me something interesting once," Suzuka said, "As I quote, this is what she said: 'Syaoran is the most important thing in your life! He's the one that makes you live and breathe! He's everything you wanted!' And by her tone of voice and the look on her face, I figured that this Syaoran is so important to you. All I ever wanted to do to you was to ruin your life! At first I thought, by ruining Sakura's life, I'll just take over it. But now I presume that Syaoran is your entire life! By ruining your life, I ruin his.  
  
"So, Sakura, as I was saying," Suzuka smirked, "I believe now is the time to put Syaoran out of his misery!"  
  
"W-What do you mean by that?" Sakura nearly choked.  
  
"I mean, I have a .22 Caliber here in your purse," Suzuka cackled. She pulled out the handgun and the light bulb reflected off of it.  
  
Sakura gasped. She thrashed about, aimlessly, as she tried to attack Suzuka. Suzuka sat up next to Sakura and held the gun to Sakura's head.  
  
Sakura stopped and breathed in deeply to catch her breath. She was already tired and weak from thrashing about.  
  
"I'm going to have Syaoran killed in front of the entire school today at 8:00 A.M. in the auditorium. Everyone's going to see your face as you do it. You'll be laughing and smiling. I'll give you a bad name, then I'll disappear and let you loose. Nobody's going to believe that you were kidnapped, they will all think that you're stark mad! They'll take you to a mental institute. By killing Syaoran, I kill you, then you'll waste away at that hospital, and I won't have to worry about you anymore. The next time I see you Sakura will be at your funeral! You'll be dead because you've pined away to your death!" Suzuka spat; Sakura's face was pale. Then Sakura looked like she doubted the way Suzuka could handle any type of weapon.  
  
"And don't think I don't know how to use this gun!" To demonstrate her point, she turned the gun sharply and shot at Sakura's basin of water. The basin shattered into thousands of microscopic, useless pieces. "See that? That's how Syaoran will look when I shoot him. Should I shoot him in the face, or the heart? Which one do you think I should do?" Suzuka bent down to Sakura's level. Green eyes stared at green eyes. Sakura then spat in Suzuka's face. Suzuka kicked Sakura in the side and Sakura fell wheezing to the floor. "See you later, Kinomoto."  
  
Suzuka disappeared up the stairs. Sakura had her head down; her hair shadowed her eyes, which had tears glistening in them.  
  
"Don't worry, Syaoran, I'll save you," Sakura whispered. Sakura tried to stop her tears from falling, to be brave, but a single tear escaped her eyes and dropped. The tear fell in slow motion to Sakura as she watched it like she would be watching her life pass before her. The tear slowly splashed against the ground. The tiny crystal-like drops sprayed across the ground floor. Sakura felt the last of her inner magic within her striving to stay alive to save Syaoran.  
  
Sakura closed her eyes and focused her mind on saving Syaoran. With every ounce of her body, she imagined the ropes around her snapping. She visualized the Power Card lending her some energy; she then felt the ropes exploding to smithereens. Sakura opened her eyes and flexed her arms. Her pink watch that Yukito had given her eight years ago showed that it was about to be 7:30. Sakura got up and stretched herself, trying to get her muscles ready for a good run.  
  
"Okay, Syaoran, I'm coming for you!" Sakura vowed.  
  
~*~  
  
Tomoyo looked at Eriol worriedly as the two seats beside them both were empty. "Where's Sakura and Syaoran?"  
  
"I have no clue," Eriol whispered.  
  
Just then the speaker turned on. "Everybody please report to the auditorium. Everybody please report to the auditorium."  
  
Tomoyo looked up at Mr. Terada as he raised a curious eyebrow.  
  
"Okay, class. put your books down and go down to the auditorium," Mr. Terada sighed.  
  
Tomoyo stood up slowly, Eriol put a comforting hand around her own and smiled down at her. Tomoyo smiled sadly as they walked out of the classroom.  
  
"Tomoyo, where's Sakura and Syaoran?" Chiharu whispered to Tomoyo.  
  
"We don't know, I hope they're okay, though," Tomoyo muttered.  
  
Chiharu clung to Yamazaki, a bad feeling churned in her stomach. A VERY bad feeling.  
  
~*~  
  
As Tomoyo entered the auditorium, she saw that already all of the high school was already seated and buzzing with questions. At the back, the Tokyo News Station was ready and filming.  
  
"Mr. Terada, your class is requested to sit here," another teacher said, pointing him to the front row.  
  
Eriol and Tomoyo exchanged worried glances. Something was definitely NOT right!  
  
~*~  
  
"Come on! Run faster, Sakura!" Sakura panted. It was 7:45 and soon, Syaoran would be dead! Sakura had found herself at an abandoned home. She was also on the other side of town! Sakura felt Dash's spirit fill her heart as she gained speed.  
  
"Please be alright. . ." Sakura prayed.  
  
~*~  
  
"Quiet!" a voice boomed. The entire auditorium hushed immediately.  
  
"That's better. a lot of you know me. I am Kinomoto Sakura," the voice announced. Tomoyo's grip on Eriol tightened. "And here, is Syaoran Li. You are about to watch a murder." The curtains pulled back to show Suzuka holding an unconscious Syaoran by the collar of his uniform with a .22 Caliber to his heart. "I would like to say a few things first before I kill him. And if anybody, I repeat, if ANYBODY makes a move I will shoot him or her! I could do an example; you see this light bulb back there? Yes, next to you camera crew people, I'll shoot it perfectly." Suzuka aimed the gun carefully and fired the gun. The light bulb exploded into tiny pieces showering over Tokyo News Station. "Any objections?" Not a move came from the group of students.  
  
"Good."  
  
~*~  
  
7:50! Sakura was just reaching the school grounds. She saw police cars piled around the school. Suzuka must have already made herself known.  
  
Sakura pushed past the yellow tape and cut through the school grounds.  
  
"Hey you! Stop!" a policewoman yelled, grabbing Sakura's wrist.  
  
"Please let go! There's someone in there trying to imposter me and kill one of my best friends! He's my entire life and I can't let him die because of me!" Sakura cried. Her emerald eyes shone with determination. "Please!"  
  
The woman let go of her wrist just for a moment. But that was all Sakura needed. Sakura dashed off with a trail of police following behind her.  
  
Sakura pushed open the school doors. 7:58. She ran through the hallways towards the back of the auditorium. Her heart began beating wildly. 7:59.  
  
~*~  
  
"The last thing is, is that this boy here, Syaoran Li is the person I hate most! Out of everyone in the world!" Suzuka continued. Syaoran groggily opened his amber eyes. Looking around him, he saw worried, tear- filled faces. He caught the pale faces of Tomoyo and Eriol. Turning around, he saw Suzuka holding a gun right at him.  
  
Now he remembered! Suzuka (A/N: he still thinks its Sakura, okay?) had drugged him with a cloth and knocked him out, just to be sure. Suzuka had already killed him three days ago. It wouldn't hurt anymore than it already did.  
  
"Now it is 8:00, nobody can save you now, Syaoran Li," Suzuka laughed. She kicked him away from her and aimed the gun at his heart.  
  
Just then the door to the side of the auditorium burst open. Yelling and screaming came from it. Then everything just happened.  
  
~*~  
  
Sakura saw the door ahead and pushed on it with all her might. The police were yelling at her to stop before she would get hurt. She screamed as she rushed through the door and onto the stage. People in the crowds stared at the two 'twins'. Sakura was still wearing her slip, which was dirty and smudged with blood. Her face was red and a little bloody from Suzuka and her fits. Her hair was disheveled and dirty. She was exceedingly thin from the lack of food for the past three weeks. The only part of her appearance that stayed strong was her eyes. They gleamed and sparkled with all the life of the world in them.  
  
Sakura turned and saw Syaoran on the ground breathing heavily. He wasn't shot. yet.  
  
Sakura ran towards Suzuka with an unwavering expression of hate. Suzuka swiveled her head in Sakura's direction, then twisted her whole body. Sakura leapt at Suzuka with the rest of the might she had left. But. Her lack of food delayed her just a moment as she jumped Suzuka Yoshimatta. The delay cost her everything. She managed to knock Suzuka over and pull off that look-alike wig, but didn't prevent her from firing the gun. The bullet shot out at Sakura. Sakura felt the impact of both the hard floor and the bullet.  
  
The police that were right behind her had rushed up just as Suzuka pulled the trigger.  
  
"Halt! You there! Stop!" the policewoman from earlier ordered. Suzuka tried to shoot her gun at the police officer, but there were no more bullets left. "You're under arrest!"  
  
Sakura lay on the ground touching the mark the bullet left on her soft skin. She had been shot in the stomach. Blood gushed out of her wound and pain filled her body; she began to cough up blood.  
  
Syaoran stood there a moment, aghast. His lovely cherry blossom was right there on the floor. That means that this imposter maybe didn't mean that Sakura hated him, maybe there was a chance. But then his logical side took over. That chance could never come because Sakura was dying!  
  
Syaoran ran over to her. Tomoyo and Eriol jumped from the crowds and onto stage. The Tokyo News Station, whom had gotten the message from Suzuka that there was a murder planned at Seijou High School, zoomed in on the scene before them.  
  
The auditorium lay still and silent, Sakura's heavy breathing and coughing was the only sound that could be made out.  
  
"Someone call for a paramedic!" Syaoran yelled, helplessly. He knelt down next to Sakura and held her hands, setting her head in his lap. Tomoyo quickly retrieved her phone and dialed up the hospital.  
  
"An ambulance is on its way, Syaoran," Tomoyo affirmed quietly.  
  
Syaoran stroked Sakura's face silently as tears welled up in his amber eyes.  
  
Tomoyo and Eriol slowly walked over to the two. The two knelt on the other side of Sakura; Tomoyo clutched Sakura's other hand.  
  
"Sakura, please stay alive," Tomoyo whispered. "Stay alive for us. Stay alive for Syaoran." Sakura laughed a little as she continued to cough up blood.  
  
After a moment, sirens in the far distance could be made out. Syaoran helped her sit up a little as she stopped coughing for a moment.  
  
She looked up at Syaoran sadly and said, "Li Syaoran, I thought I'd never see you again. When Suzuka kidnapped me, she told me that she told you that I hated you. I could never hate you, though." She touched his face lightly. A fit of coughs overwhelmed her, when she stopped, she continued, "I never did hate you, even in the beginning when I met you. Sure, you were a little stubborn, but I never hated you." She smiled at him.  
  
"It's all my fault," he whispered miserably. Tears fell to the ground from both of their eyes.  
  
"No! It's not your fault! I only got kidnapped because I'm weak! I was thinking of you that day. I think about you all the time. You're everything I ever dreamed of Syaoran. Everything. You're the one thing that kept me alive through all this. Everyday I strived to keep alive, just so I could see you.  
  
The only reason I didn't tell you my feelings was because I knew I could possible never have you! You're going to be the next Li Clan Leader! And the Li Clan is one of the greatest in China! You're strong! You're brave! I could never match up to you! I'm weak and scared of ghosts!" She laughed a little, a small smile appeared on Syaoran's face.  
  
"You _are_ brave, Sakura, brave enough to come here and try to help me. You aren't weak, hey, if you were weak, you'd already be dead, right? And the only way I'm strong is because of you, Sakura. It was you that day, wasn't it? The day you were kidnapped when I felt something, but I didn't pay any attention to it! I was a fool for believing Suzuka and for not seeing through her disguise!" Syaoran cried. "I should be the one dying, not you."  
  
Her breaths came shorter and raspier as she made him promise, "Please don't let anybody, especially you, Syaoran, do anything to kill yourself over me. Promise?" Syaoran nodded silently. He helped her sit up all the way.  
  
She put her arms around him and gave him a fiery kiss on the lips. He responded gladly.  
  
"Kawaii," Tomoyo giggled, making sure her small, hidden camera on her amethyst necklace was getting every detail.  
  
When they let go for the lack of air, and for Syaoran's fear of hurting her, Sakura sighed with happiness.  
  
"I love you, Li Syaoran, my Little Wolf. I love you with all my heart and soul, Syaoran," she smiled, then using his Chinese and given name, she whispered, "You will always be in my heart, Li Xiaolang, and I will always be with you."  
  
"Sakura!" Syaoran cried as her green eyes closed. He hugged her lifeless body to him as both of their tears mingled.  
  
Just then the paramedics came in. Seeing the sobbing young man, clasping the motionless girl, they stopped.  
  
"Sakura! Please don't leave me!" Syaoran's broken voice sobbed. "I love you! Please! Sakura!"  
  
Tomoyo buried her face into Eriol's chest and he put his arms around her as Syaoran continued crying out for his lost Cherry Blossom.  
  
"Sakura!"  
  
((BACK TO THE PRESENT))

((CURRENT DATE (IN STORY): November 25, 2002))

((SYAORAN'S POV))  
  
I thought I had lost her forever that day, but I remember that she is always in my heart. My Cherry Blossom. I won't be as lonely, knowing that she's with me. Even now, I still remember that day like it happened yesterday. Whenever I was in a bad mood, I felt her presence near me. I never found anyone else like her. Sakura was one of a kind.  
  
Tomoyo was right that I would regret it one day. I should've told her a long time ago! We could've had a real relationship and this might've not have happened. The first thing I would say to Sakura if I were ever to see her again would be to tell her my feelings.  
  
I had finally reached my destination. Tomoeda Cemetery. I walked past others gravestones and into a reserved section.  
  
((REGULAR POV))  
  
Syaoran walked over to where a group of people stood under a tall cherry blossom tree. As he walked past familiar faces and to the front of the group, he stared at the headstone of the grave. New words lay under the last phrase: May her soul rest in peace.  


KINOMOTO SAKURA

BELOVED DAUGHTER & SISTER

APRIL 1, 1981- NOVEMBER 25, 1997

DIED SAVING HER LOVED ONE'S LIFE MAY HER SOUL REST IN PEACE  
  
HER LAST WORDS: 'You will always be in my heart, Li Xiaolang, and I will always be with you'   


  
Syaoran began to break down crying, leaning against the tombstone. An older Tomoyo and Eriol, the two had married, walked over to Syaoran. Tomoyo hugged him tightly.  
  
"She would've wanted that written there," Tomoyo whispered. Syaoran nodded.  
  
The group of people consisted of those who knew Sakura well: Chiharu & Yamazaki, Rika & Mr. Terada, Naoko, Yue & Ruby Moon, Kero & Spinner, Yukito, Nakuru & Touya, Sonomi, Tomoyo & Eriol, Meiling, and Syaoran. Fujitaka had sadly died of a stroke a year before. Everyone in this group had been told, if not already knew, of Sakura's magical identity. The guardians, Kero and Spinner, lived with Tomoyo and Eriol. Yue and Yukito had been separated, like Ruby Moon and Nakuru.  
  
When the reunion was finished, they were going to go back to Tomoyo and Eriol's place to have a party for Sakura.  
  
"Why aren't you coming, Syaoran?" Chiharu asked; she was happily married to Yamazaki.  
  
"Please say you'll come," Mrs. Rika Terada pleaded.  
  
"No, I'm going to go," Syaoran replied. "Goodbye everyone."  
  
"Bye, Syaoran," they waved. Syaoran started his walk back to his apartment.  
  
As he crossed the street, he didn't notice the car coming at him.  
  
A voice yelled out behind him, "Syaoran!"  
  
Syaoran found Tomoyo screaming at him, pointing to his left. Syaoran turned his head and saw the oncoming car. His mind raced. Although he didn't want to hurt his friends, his thoughts of Sakura stopped him. He knew it would be for the better.

  
The car came to a horrifying stop.  
  
~*~  
  
Even though Syaoran died in the end, all in all, it was perfect seeing his Cherry Blossom once more, and her seeing her Little Wolf.  
  
When he first saw her, he completed his vow and smiled at his Sakura. Then he took a deep breath, and said the three most dangerous, complicated, and life-changing words: "I love you."  
  
Their love could now be eternal and never-ending.  
  
Sometimes you can feel like it is a little too late to say 'I love you', but at other times, it's never too late.  
  
And, now, if Tomoyo could see the two young lovers, her infamous phrase would definitely never hear the end of it. Kawaii.  
  
THE END  
  
I hope you liked it! Please review! I had this story in a daydream, except I was the one telling someone I liked that I hated them! It was a nightmare! Scary!

(A/N: That dream also caused the unwanted break-up of me and my boyfriend, who I just found out likes me again. And I've always still liked him. Even though I was the one to break up with him. *sigh* I hate that dream. Anyways, I hoped you enjoyed.)


End file.
